Congratulations to the twenty two Year 12 students who have successfully completed the Alban Education Sixth Formers into Teaching programme this month. Following the success of the programme in the last two years, this year English, Languages, Maths, PRE and Science have taken on the challenge as well. This innovative programme aims to give Year 12s an insight into the world of teaching as well as develop their confidence, communication and leadership skill. Students get the opportunity to work together with subject specialist teachers, peers and younger students. Weekly sessions equip them with the theoretical framework to be able to observe lessons meaningfully, as well as to teach their chosen subject at KS3, KS4 and at a local primary school. The primary school stage is particularly rewarding an enriching for everyone involved, and we have been overwhelmed by the incredible feedback the teachers and students alike have given our students. As part of the programme, students are required to complete a Learning Journal as they go through the different stages and we have been very impressed with their level of their reflection and their professionalism. We would like to thank everyone involved for being so welcoming and encouraging to our students. We hope to have inspired the next generation of teachers and are looking forward to following their journeys! The programme will open to Year 12s again next year and more information will be available on Sixth Form induction days.

Well done Dillon for his improvement towards the A level Dance written exam. Also well done to Isabella and Soraya, for being excellent role models in Senior Dance as we prepare for the summer dance show called... UNITE! Tickets go on sale Monday 13th May on the Sandpit Theatre website. Get yours before they are gone!!

This week we feature "Space To Create", an art club run by one of our lovely Sixth Form students in F4 on a Tuesday lunchtime. It is a chance for students across different age groups to meet up and try out different art form. Here is what Alex M in Year 8 had to say about it:

"Space To Create is a great place to learn unique art skills such as origami, marble painting and cardboard Christmas houses. It is run by some lovely Sixth Formers who are always there to help you if you are stuck. It is nice to meet students from other years who also enjoy art and want to find ways to improve their technique. Everyone is very calm and welcoming in the group so it is a nice space to relax and be creative." 

Well done to Turing who maintain their lead with 17,411 points. Newton, Fawcett and Shakespeare take 2nd, 3rd and 4th places. Well done to the following students with the highest points this week.

1. Emmi T (7T) 9 points
2. Harriet N (7T) 9 points
3. Earnest W (7T) 9  points
4. Lottie D (7T) 9 points
5. Shira K (7J) 9 points

Other special mentions go to 

• Gabby R (14) & Teona G(12) Only students outside Year 7 & 8 in the top 10 for the week.
• James B (9T) who hits 100 house points
•  Elsie D (7T) for the most house points so far this term (32)
• Sam H (12H) Leading the KS5 house points (45)

UPCOMING EVENTS  

- Charity cup presentations (TBC)

- Sports day

- Charity run

Congratulations go to the following Year 13 students who have successfully secured an apprenticeship commencing in autumn this year.  These apprenticeships are hugely competitive, involving online tests, rounds of interviews and assessment centres and it is an amazing achievement to have been selected.  We are very proud of you!

Good luck also to those students who are still going through the process, or waiting to hear.  Well done for your hard work and perseverance and we wish you well in your future careers.

• Elliot C – Engineering Degree Apprenticeship (MBDA)
• Emily D – MEng Engineering Degree Apprenticeship (Dyson)
• Ted H – Cost Analysis Degree Apprenticeship (Turner & Townsend)
• Fred H – Audit Degree Apprenticeship (RSM)
• Harry J – AAT Higher Apprenticeship (Moore Kingston Smith)
• Harrison M – Police Degree Apprenticeship (Met Police)
• Olly P – Audit Degree Apprenticeship (RSM)
• Imogen R – Digital & Technology Degree Apprenticeship (PwC)
• Angus T – Junior Management Consultant Higher Apprenticeship (PwC)

A wonderful review of a class run locally to help raise money for one of our chosen charities, Youth Talk. Thank you to Conrad L-O for sending. We hope that it inspires others to try something new! Or send in a review of any activities that they are enjoying in the community.

Last week I took part in a meditation class by Let’s Dance Academy, to raise money for Youth Talk, a charity that provides counselling to children aged 13-25. It was recommended for practising mindfulness for anyone who has exams coming up.

We started by sitting on yoga mats and focused on our breathing then by standing and doing warm-up movements based on contemporary dance. This enabled me to express my emotions through the various movements using different parts of my body. Next, we lay down on the mat for meditation, relaxing from our toes to the head. We concentrated on our breathing and tried to empty our minds. We then had ten minutes of lying down with our eyes closed, while the teacher played some instruments, such as small cymbals and moved a speaker around the room so that we could be fully immersed in music. This helped to calm and clear our minds to just enjoy the moment.

I found the whole experience liberating and soothing as the atmosphere was very non-judgemental and the teacher was encouraging. I would highly recommend others taking part in this when it becomes available again in the future.

The Puzzle of the Week is a Mathematics challenge run weekly. This week's puzzle is shown above. For every entry you will receive 1 house point, if you answer correctly you will win 2 house points and if you are the fastest person to answer the puzzle correctly then you will win 5 house points!  To enter, simply scan the QR code and fill out the google form.  Good luck! Why not play at home and see who is the quickest to get the answer?

National Thank a Teacher Day will be celebrated once again in 2024 on Wednesday 19th June. This is a chance for parents and students to celebrate teachers and teaching staff who have helped them over the years. We will update you with more details nearer the time but save the date for an opportunity to thank Sandringham staff who have gone above and beyond.

Twenty one Year 12 students undertook their Gold training / practice expedition in the Peak District last week. Despite the weather being very cold with ice on the tents in the morning, during the day it was generally very cold but dry with the students able to develop their navigation and campcraft skills in dry, breezy conditions.

The students experienced walking in different terrain, learning to select the best routes when off path and in boggy sections. There were some interesting and varied menu choices, and their campcraft and cooking skills became more routine and efficient over the first couple of days which stood them in good stead after very long days out walking.

Students completed a 4 day of their expedition, honing their navigation skills and developing excellent team work skills.

The students finished in high spirits having learnt a lot about walking in wild country, how changeable mountain weather in the UK is and the necessity of carrying everything on the kit list. Their camp craft and team work were excellent with students maintaining their morale throughout. They are thoroughly prepared and looking forward to their assessed expedition in the Lake District. The students are also working hard on the other sections of their Gold Award. Thank you to the staff who were on the trip and to staff covering lessons back at school.

This week we feature one of our exceptionally talented Year 7 students, Clarisse H who has designed a card to celebrate David Attenborough's 98th birthday. Mr Gray invited students in Year 7 to create a fully sustainable card made of recycled materials and we are sure you will agree, Clarisse's efforts are outstanding. Clarisse said of making the card "I really enjoyed this project which I worked on every evening for a week. My idea was to create a box that opened as a surprise and inside it would contain images of the earth and animals- all things that I know Sir David Attenborough is passionate about. I taught myself how to make the bouquet by watching videos online and used a variety of materials (paper, string, lace, tape) and colours to make sure that the card looked really special. I hope that he enjoys receiving the card as I feel that he deserves to be celebrated for more than 70 years of vital work to improve our environment." 

We have some talented entrepreneurs amongst our Year 9s! The students from the Snack Challenge module, spent the last 8 weeks creating a new snack to target the health-conscious market. This involved the students undertaking market research, deciding on a suitable market segment, developing a product concept, creating a logo, designing packaging and presenting their ideas to the class. We had some original ideas including; Fruit n’ Dip, a dual-snack with bitesize pieces of fruit and a chocolate dip; Mini Leprechauns, mini gold chocolate biscuit coins with leprechauns indented onto the chocolate; and Fruit Fusion, fruit flavoured ice lollies that change colour while you eat them. Congratulations to every student for showcasing their creativity through their projects. And well done to the two winning groups (selected by an in-class vote): Maddie G and Micayla S, and Katie J and Oliver S.

This week we have been focussing on the House Competition and students have been reflecting on how they can participate further to support their house and contribute more to the school community. Rather than a whole school assembly this week each house has received an assembly from their Head and House and Sixth form house captains. Alongside this on Friday, we mixed up the form classes to a vertical form system with each student getting the opportunity to meet and compete in the house quiz with other house members from other year groups.

Ambrose Bukowski is a twelve-year-old with a talent for mismatching his clothes, for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time, and for words.

In short, he’s a self-described nerd. Making friends is especially hard because he and his overprotective mother, Irene, have had to move so often. And when bullies at his latest school almost kill him by deliberately slipping a peanut into his sandwich to set off his allergy, it's his mother who has the extreme reaction.

From now on, Ambrose has to be home-schooled. Then Ambrose strikes up an unlikely friendship with the landlord's son, Cosmo, an ex-con who's been in prison.They have nothing in common except for Scrabble. But a small deception grows out of control when Ambrose convinces a reluctant Cosmo to take him to a Scrabble club.

Could this spell disaster for Ambrose?

Jack W in 7N  who has recently read the book says: “This book is a fun to read, fictional book which I would recommend for people who are into mystery books. It is action-packed full of twists and turns as Ambrose (the main character) meets an unlikely friend.”

FRENCH: Le mot de la semaine: conspirer

GERMAN: Das Wort der Woche: verschwören

SPANISH: La palabra de la semana: conspirar

Thinking Question:

• Some languages have lots of words and some languages have far fewer words. Why might this be?

C is for…collude [verb]

Definition: To act together secretly or illegally in order to deceive or cheat someone.

Example: It was suspected that the police had colluded with the witnesses.

Synonyms:  Conspire, Plot, Scheme

Antonyms: Nonconformity

Etymology: Derived from the Latin ‘colludere’ meaning to have a secret agreement. From ‘col’- meaning together and ‘ludere’ meaning to play.

Our U15 girls cricket team lost out to a strong Ashlyns school in the first round of the national cup this week. Grace B & Evie O were the pick of the bowlers whilst Rachel K & Rosie A did well with the bat. 139 played 89.

Last Saturday, our athletics teams had a very useful morning friendly at Brentwood school. Amazing facilities which set our squads up nicely for the start of the county league. 

We gained some strong points in county league 1 against good competition on Wednesday

Well done to all involved. Next county league is Wed 8th.

Athletes of the meet: 

• U14G - N McKinstry
• U14B - T Russ + SR
• U16G - E Russell + SR
• U16B - K Hill + Big PB

A solid performance from the Year 7’s winning 4-17 against Aylesbury Vale Academy this week. Even our less experienced players are continuing to make huge progress. This team has some serious potential.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.  I don't know why she swallowed a fly...

But the People's Theatre Company do!

And now you can too as they bring the world's best loved nursery rhyme to life just in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pam Adams' best-selling book!

With a captivating combination of live action, animation and puppetry, this magical re-telling of There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly is sure to surprise and delight children and nostalgic adults in equal measure.

Tickets can be purchased here and cost £12.50

Following the fantastic success of ‘Hansel and Gretel’ & ‘Rapunzel’ our creative team are back with a Brand New pantomime adventure based on the classic tale.

 Puss In Boots and the Pea Green detective agency are ready to save Pantoland from a terrible threat!

The Hickory Dickory Dock clock has been stolen and someone is messing with the pantomime timeline. The police are struggling to sniff out a suspect and things are getting stranger by the hour! Join Puss In Boots on their epic quest to bring the time thief to justice. This sword-swinging, paw-scratching, time-stopping pantomime is an action packed treat for all ages!

Tickets are on sale here and cost from £10.00